Yegon Leads Tokyo Kokusai to Win at National University Ekiden Kanto Region Qualifier

2021 Hakone Ekiden MVP Vincent Yegon led Tokyo Kokusai University to the win at the Kanto Region qualifier for November's National University Men's Ekiden Championships. Twenty schools competed Saturday at Kanagawa's Sagamihara Gion Stadium for the seven spots available at Nationals, every school fielding two runners in each of four heats of 10000 m and scored on the total time of its eight runners.

TKU got off to a slow start, outside the top ten after the first race, up to 7th after the second heat with a 9-second margin over Surugadai University, and hanging on to 7th after the third race but seeing its margin drop to just over 2 seconds ahead of Nittai University. Nittai's Tamaki Fujimoto took the fourth heat out, but after just 800 m Yegon took over, leading almost the entire rest of the way on sub-28 pace.

That burned off most of the competition up front, and with 1500 m to go it was down to Yegon, Hakone rival Philip Mulwa (Soka Univ.) and Joseph Razini Lemeteki (Takushoku Univ.). Mulwa made a move to the front just before three laps to go, Yegon taking a short break before reasserting himself at 600 m to go. Razini responded by kicking past both on the back curve, but neither he nor Mulwa could match Yegon's closing speed, his massive stride quickly opening a gap as he built up momentum over a 59-second closing lap.

Between Yegon's 27:50.65 winning time and Ken Tansho's 28:39.60 for 8th it was enough to overtake the entire field and land TKU in 1st with a total team time of 3:56:39.39. Mulwa took 2nd in 27:53.39 and Razini 3rd in 27:54.39, Soka a disappointing 14th but Razini playing a big role in Takushoku placing 4th and making the Nationals cut.

Nittai moved into 7th in the final scoring thanks to Fujimoto, the top Japanese finisher at 7th in 28:35.73, while Surugadai missed qualifying for Nationals for the first time by less than 30 seconds. Daito Bunka University and Senshu University joined the ranks of schools with Kenyan recruits, but neither DBU 1st-year Peter Wanjiru nor Senshu 1st-year Duncan Kisaisa could carry their teams into the qualifying bracket, DBU finishing 12th and Senshu just 18th in the field of twenty.

National University Men's Ekiden Kanto Region Qualifier

Sagamihara Gion Stadium, Kanagawa, 19 June, 2021

20 teams, 8 runners each, top 7 qualify for Nationals

complete team results

complete individual results

Top Team Results

1. Tokyo Kokusai University - 3:56:39.39

2. Koku Gakuin University - 3:56:47.04

3. Hosei University - 3:57:14.64

4. Takushoku University - 3:57:17.26

5. Chuo University - 3:57:17.61

6. Chuo Gakuin University - 3:57:23.16

7. Nittai University - 3:57:47.90

-----

8. Surugadai University - 3:58:16.34

9. Kokushikan University - 3:58:51.31

10. Yamanashi Gakuin University - 3:59:07.98

Individual Results

Race 4

1. Vincent Yegon (Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) - 27:50.65

2. Philip Mulwa (Soka Univ.) - 27:53.39

3. Joseph Razimi Lemeteki (Takushoku Univ.) - 27:54.39

4. Vincent Raimoi (Kokushikan Univ.) - 28:04.93

5. James Bunuka (Surugadai Univ.) - 28:11.53

6. Paul Onyiego (Yamanashi Gakuin Univ.) - 28:28.67

7. Tamaki Fujimoto (Nittai Univ.) - 28:35.73

8. Ken Tansho (Tokyo Kokusai Univ.) - 28:39.60

9. Keigo Kurihara (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 28:40.57

10. Reishi Yoshida (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 28:41.60

Race 3

1. Shinya Kojima (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 29:13.91

2. Ruina Bukawa (Chuo Gakuin Univ.) - 29:14.05

3. Kiyoto Hirabayashi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 29:14.55

Race 2

1. Kazuya Mishiro (Kokushikan Univ.) - 30:01.98

2. Haruki Abe (Chuo Univ.) - 30:02.73

3. Itsuki Koizumi (Hosei Univ.) - 30:02.75

Race 1

1. Taiga Nakanishi (Koku Gakuin Univ.) - 29:21.70

2. Yuki Takei (Asia Univ.) - 29:35.95

3. Masaki Hamano (Soka Univ.) - 29:38.02

Wanjiru Breaks Own MR, Fuwa and Ishida Return - Kanto Regionals Day 1 Highlights

Japan's best college meet kicked off Thursday at Tokyo's National Stadium at the 103rd Kanto Region University Track and Field Championships . Looking like she was doing a controlled tempo run, 2nd-yr Sarah Wanjiru (Daito Bunka Univ.) lapped the entire field to win the women's 10000 m in a meet record 32:02.87, almost 15 seconds under the record she last year in her debut. 3rd-yr Aoi Takahashi (Josai Univ.) was 2nd in 33:29.22 and 2nd-yr Nana Nagashima (Josai Kokusai Univ.) 3rd in a PB 33:30.28, but the other main news alongside Wanjiru's new record was the return of collegiate 10000 m record holder Seira Fuwa (Takushoku Univ.) in her first 10000 m in 19 months. Fuwa hung at the back of the chase pack for the first half, made a move to lead it in the second half, and ultimately faded to 9th in 33:40.20. Every comeback has to start somewhere. The D1 men's 10000 m had a tight group up front with the top 6 all finishing within 6 seconds and under 28:10. 3rd-yr Jam

Two-Time Olympic Marathon Medalist Erick Wainaina Referred to Prosectors on Suspicion of Assault

According to investigators, two-time Olympic marathon medalist Erick Wainaina has had his case referred to prosecutors after allegedly injuring a railway employee by striking him in the face at a station in Setagaya, Tokyo. Wainaina, 50, was the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and won silver in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Wainaina is suspected of assaulting a woman in her late teens and a male Tokyu Denentoshi Line employee by hitting them in the face during an altercation at Komazawa University Station in March this year, resulting in minor injuries to the man's face. According to investigators, the incident began on the train between Wainaina and the woman, and after getting off at Komazawa University Station he hit her in the face when she asked him to go to the station office with her to report it. When the male railway employee responded to the situation Wainaina reportedly hit him too. In response to questioning Wainaina is said to have answered,

Police Arrest 20-Year-Old Man Charged With Assaulting Female Runner at Popular Tokyo Running Spot

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a female runner along the banks of the Tama River in Ota Ward, Tokyo. "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go for a walk and move my body a bit," the man told police. Local resident Hirai Muroyama , 20, of no known occupation, was arrested on charges of sexual assault. He is accused of acts including grabbing the breasts of a woman in her 20s at around 10 p.m. on May 31 along the banks of the Tama River. According to police, the woman was taking a break in her run when Muroyama approached her silently from behind and grabbed her breasts before running away. Under police interrogation Muroyama told investigators, "I've been stuck at home because of the coronavirus, so I wanted to go out for a walk and move my body. I'd had a few drinks and was feeling pretty hype. She was totally my type." source article: https://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newsey

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